Sewing machine



March 26, 1935. A.'B. CLAY-TON SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1953 4 Sheets-Shet Andriaw 17. Clayton March 26, 1935. A. B. CLAYTON sswnw MACHINE Filed 001;. 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet A. CLAYTON. 1,996,040

SEWING MACHINE March 26, 1935.

Filed 00p. 5, 19s: I 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 TNINQ mm .I Q g g N m? w m m w s m a rvbcwvfo'b Andrew B. 0265 6012,

' f Slim 1 March 26, 1935. A. B. CLAYTON 1,996,040

" SEWING MACHINE- Filed Oct. 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Azzlrewb. la y ton,

Patented Mar. 26 1935 v v UNITED STATES- PATENT omen SEWING MACHINE Andrew B. Clayton, Union, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New'Jersey Application October 5, 1933, Serial No. 692,273 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-63) This invention relates to sewing machines, presser-bar 4 fitted, respectively, with the needles more particularly of the type having a hollow 5 andpresser-foot 6. The needle-bar 3 isrecipfree-ended work-supporting arm adapted for rocated by means of the usual link-connection '7 sewing tubular work; the chain-stitch feed-offwith the crank Son the rotary shaft 9 which is 5 arm machine of my copending application, Serial journaled in the horizontal member of the goose- 5 No. 640,586; filed November 1, 1932, being a maneck 1 and is fitted with the usual balance wheel chine of this general'type. 10 and pulley 11 for belt-connection with the The invention has for an object to provide a source of power. The needle-bar 3 carries the chain-stitch sewing machine with a simplified and needle-thread take-up arm 12 commonly used in 10 improved looper-mechanism functioning to imchain-stitch sewing machines. The invention is 10 part rapid loop-seizing and loop-shedding movenot to be understood as limited in any way to the ments to the looper with an intermediate period specific construction ofthe gooseneck and/or the of dwell or retarded motion of the looper at the mechanism carried thereby. end of its loop-seizing stroke. The gooseneck is rigidly associated with and Another object of the invention is to provide preferably mounted on apreferably'U-shaped bed 15 improved looper-thread-handling devices for a including an arm 13 extending forwardly from the machine of the type above referred to. gooseneck, a laterally extending hollow horizontal With the above and other objects in view, as carrier arm 14 joined at one end to the forwardly will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises extending arm 13 and carrying the hollow horithe devices, combinations, and arrangements .of zontal work-supporting arm 15 which is joined at 20 parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the one end to and is substantially coplanar with its accompanying drawings of a preferred embodicarrier arm 14 and terminates at its free end ment of the invention, from which the several below the head 2 at the free end of the goosefeatures of the invention and the advantages atneck. The arms 14 and 15 are joinedin the form tained thereby will be readily understood by those of an L laid horizontally. 1 25 skilled inthe art. There is journaled in the forwardly disposed Fig. 1 is a front side elevation of a feed-ofi-arm laterally extending arm 14 a lower rotary shaft sewing machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2 16 which is connected to rotate in timed relation is a top plan view of the machine, partly in secwith the shaft 9 preferably by the conventional tion. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2. Clip-belt housed Within the belt-easing 18 30 Fig. 4 is an elevation of the left side of the mat o y Of th Sewing machine frame P p chine with the work-supporting arm in section. he machin y be p d With feeding Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, sections on th mechanism includingafeed-bar 19-disposed cenlines 5-5 and 6-6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a rear eletrally within and lengthwise of the work-sup vation of the thread-guiding fork and supporting porting arm 15. The feedbar 19. is mountedto 35 means forming a part of the looper-thread-conock Wi d Slide p the fl110rl1m-b100k'20 troller. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the threadmoun on the eccentric u -D 213115; guiding fork. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9, tained by and rotatably a jus able in the b Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section f a d feed-fulerum-post The feed-be! 19 through the work-supporting arm on the line carries the feed-dog 23. The feed-bar is provided 40 1010, Fig. 2. Fig. 11 is a section on the line at its forward end, i. e., its end remotegfrom the 11-11, Fig, 2, Fig, 12 i a ti n on th i feed-dog 23, with a horizontal feed-lift fork 24 1212, Fig. 4. Fig. 13 is a section, on the line andavertical feed-advance fork 25, Fig. 4. These 66, Fig. 2, but lookingin the direction opposite forks embrace, respectively, the feed-lift eccento the arrows and showing the Work-supporting tric 26 and feed-advance eccentric 27 on the 45 arm in elevation. Fig. 14 is a development of the shaft 16. looper motion showing the positions of the .point Journaled in bearing lugs 28, 29, within the of the looper beak for equi-angularly spaced pow rk-supp t a m 15,1 t rocking and slidsitions of the main-shaft, and Fig. 15 is a diaing OODe fi 0 a y the threaded D- grammatic view of the looper mechanism with ers 31- which cooperate with the needles 5 to 50 the parts shown in the two extreme positions of form the usual two-thread or double-chain .the looper. stitches. The looper-shaft 30 is given its rocking The machine frame includes the usual goosemovement, to move the loopers endwise into and neck 1' which terminates at its free end in the out of their respective needle-loops, by means of head2carrying the reciprocatory needle-bar3and the eccentric 32 on the lower rotary shaft 16. -55

a slot 35 embracing the guide-block 36 pivoted on the stationary supporting stud 3'7 projecting into the arm from one side wall thereof. The

pitman 34 is connected by the link 38 to the lever 39 fulcrumed on the stationary stud-pin 40 which is supported by the side wall of the arm 15 above the stud-pin 37. The lever 39 is ball-and-socket connected at its free end by means of a link 41 to a crank-arm 42 fixed to the looper-shaft 30 to rock the latter.

Sliding movements are imparted to the loopershaft 30, to impart to the loopers their sidewise or so-called needle-avoiding" movements, by means of the eccentric 43 on the lower shaft 16. The eccentric 43 is embraced by the block 44 in the upwardly opening fork 45 fixed to the slideshaft 46 ioumaled in the bearing block 4'1 in the work-supporting arm 15. Fixed to the end of the slide-shaft 46 nearer the free end of the arm 15 is a lateral arm 48 which is forked to embrace the looper-shaft 30 and is confined between the crank-arm 42 and the collar 49 on the looper-shaft. The compounding of the rocking and sliding movements thus imparted to the looper-shaft 30 causes each of the loopers to move in an elongated elliptical orbit indicated in Fig.14.

It will be observed from Fig. 15 that the free end 0 of the pitman 34 is caused by the guide 36 to move in an egg-shaped path 50. In the upper extreme position of the lever 39, corthe position of the looper at the end of its loopseizing stroke, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 14, the egg-shaped path 50 is curved in the same direction and substantially coincides over a considerable portion of its length with the arcuate path 51 of the lower end of the link 38. This condition causes the looper 31 to move slowly or dwell in its reversal of motion at the end of its loop-seizing stroke. The points on the looper path shown in Fig. 14 represent the successive positions of the looper beak for equiangularly spaced positions of the mainshaft. The bunching together of these points at the dotted line position of the looper in Fig. 14 thus indicates the relatively slow motion of the looper at that end of its orbital path.

The advantages attained by causing the looper to dwell at the end of its loop-seizing stroke are well understood by those skilled in the art and need not be rehearsed here. While various v mechanisms have heretofore been proposed for well known slotted rotary thread-cam 52 which, according to the present improvement, is mounted on the shaft 16 within the laterally extending arm 14 closely adjacent its juncture with the work-supporting arm 15. The usual cast-oil blade 53 which cooperates with a thread controller cam of this type is carried by the pin 54 fixed in an aperture in the front wall of the late erally extending arm 14. The thread-guiding fork 55 is pivotally mounted by means of the pin 56 in spaced ears 57, Fig. '7, on the bar 58 detachably mounted on the arm 14. The fork 55 has a rectangular hub-portion 59 which is pressed upon by the leaf -spring 60 to yieldingly retain the fork 55 in its full line working position, Figs. 6 and 9, or in its dotted line threading position. The usual thread-nipping springs 61 are also mounted on the bar 58 and are actuated by the eccentric 62 on the shaft 16. The thread-controlling mechanism is protected by the cover 63 which is hinged at 64 to swing to dotted line position, Fig. 6, to expose the thread-controlling devices for threading or other purposes.

The thread-controlling devices in the arm 14 are separated from the space within the worksupporting arm 15 by the oil-tight partition wall 65 carrying one of the ball-bearings 66 for the shaft 16. The aperture in the partition wall65 which receives the ball-bearing 66 is closed at one end by the washer 67 so that oil splashed from the oil-sump 68 in the work-supporting arm 15 by the feedand looper-actuating eccentrics will not flood the ball-bearing and work through to the thread-controlling mechanism and soil the thread. The loopers 31 are disposed within acompartment 31*, Fig. 4, in the free end'of the work-supporting arm which is separated by the partition 31 from the space in the arm 15 housing the feed and looper-actuating mechanism.

Mounted in the front wall of the laterally extending arm is a looper-thread tension device comprising a pair of tension discs 69, Fig. 5, loose on the stem 70 of the headed pin '10 which passes through the sleeve '71 held by the setscrew 72 in the aperture '73 in they wall of the arm 14. The stem 70' of the headed ,pin 76 is surrounded within the sleeve 71 by a coil-spring '74 one end of which abuts against the end wall 75 0f said sleeve. The other end of said spring 74 bears against a nut 76 threaded onto the stem 70' and slidably received in the sleeve 71. A pin 77 projecting from the nut 76 is received in a longitudinal slot 78 in the sleeve '11 and prevents the nut from turning relative to the sleeve. Adjustment of the tension is readily effected by turning the headed pin '70 by used a screwdriver.

The looper-threads are led from the supply to the apertured guide-plate 79, Fig. 2, on the beltcasing 18; thence through the longitudinally slotted guide tubes 80 mounted on the belt-casing 18 to the lower end of the latter; thence laterally along the front side of the laterally extending arm 14 through the longitudinally slotted guide tubes 81 to and through the tension device 69; thence through the aperture 82 in the arm 14 to and through the thread-nipping and thread-controlling devices; and thence out of the laterally extending arm through the slotted passageway 82, Fig. 2, and into the longitudinal'-.

ly and spirally slotted guide-tube 83 in that side wall of the work-supporting arm 15 nearer the base of the gooseneck and the forwardly extend; ing arm 13. From the guide-tube 83 the looperthread passes through the thread-guide 84 and into the heels of the loopers 31 which have their loop-seizing movements in a direction away from the base of the gooseneck and the points of which may be readily observed in their working relation with the needles from a free and unobstructed observation point at the outer side of the work-supporting arm. This condition favors the proper setting of the loopers relative to the needles and is an aid to the operator in adjusting and threading the loopers. A swingable cover-plate 85 guards the tension-device while the machine is in use. This cover-plate is easily swung upwardly, Fig. 1, to expose the tension-device 69 for threading or adjusting purposes.

The thread-guide 84 is preferably mounted on the needle-guard 86 which rises from the cylindrical plug 87, Fig. 4, mounted in a hole in the end wall 88of the work-supporting arm. The plug 8'7 is held in adjusted position by means of the set-screw 89. It is adjustable endwise to set the needle-guards in proper relation to the needles.

The loopers 31 may be exposed for threading and inspection by swinging open the doors 90 about their hinge-screws 91 at the free end of the work-supporting arm.

It will be observed that by virtue of the present improvement the length of looper-thread to' be alternately taken up and paid out by the thread-controller 52 between the thread-controller and the loopers has been considerably reduced in a machine of the present type. This is of importance in the attainment of properly set stitches at high speeds, as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

The invention is not to be understood as lim ited to the specific forms and arrangements of parts shown and described as such forms and arrangements are merely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, which obviously may be embodied in a variety of specifically different machines within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A chain-stitch sewing machine having a frame formed with a standard and a hollow freeended work-supporting arm, a reciprocatory needle, a'looper mounted withinthe free end of the work-supporting arm, a drive-shaft extending transversely of said work-supporting arm at the end thereof remote from the looper, an eccentric on said shaft, a pitman embracing said eccentric and extending within said work-supporting arm toward the free end thereof, a guide for said pitman disposed within said work-supporting arm, means actuated by said pitman for imparting loop-seizing and -shedding movements to said looper, and means for imparting needle-avoiding movements to said looper.

2. A chain-stitch sewing machine having a I frame formed with a standard and a hollow freeing the looper to dwell at the end of its loopseizing movement.

3. A chain-stitch sewing machine having a frame formed with a standard and a hollow freeended work-supporting arm, a reciprocatory needle, a rocking and sliding looper-shaft mounted within and lengthwise of said work-supporting arm, a looper and a crankarm fixed to said looper-shaft, a drive-shaft extending transversely of said work-supporting arm, an eccentric on said drive-shaft, a pitman embracing said eccentric and extending .into said work-supporting arm, a lever connected to said crank-arm and having a fixed fulcrum, a guide'for said pit-' man, and an operative connection between said said eccentric and extending into said work-supporting arm, a guide for said pitman, and means connecting said crank-arm to a point on said pitman spaced from said guide, said means cooperating with said pitman to cause the looper to dwell at the end of its loop-seizing stroke.

5. In a chain-stitch sewing machine, a reciprocatory needle, a rotary drive-shaft, an eccentric carried thereby a pitman embracing said eccentric, a guide for said pitman, a lever having a fixed fulcrum, a link-connection between said lever and said pitman, and a looper cooperatively related to said'needle and connected to receive loopyseizing and loop-shedding movements from said lever.

6. A chain-stitch feed-off-arm sewing machine having, in combination, a frame including a gooseneck, a forwardly extending arm rigid with said gooseneck, a laterally extending horizontal arm joined at one end to said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending horizontal work-supporting arm joined at one end to and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm and terminating at its free end below the free end of said gooseneck, an upper rotary shaft journaled horizontally in said gooseneck, a lower rotary shaft journaled in said laterally extending arm, means connecting said shafts to rotate in timed relation to one-another, a reciprocatory needle mounted at the free end of said gooseneck and connected to be driven by said upper rotary shaft, a chain-stitch looper disposed within the free end of said work-supporting arm and having its loop-seiz ng movements in a direction away from the base of said gooseneck, means connected to said lower rotary shaft and extending substantially horizontally from said laterally extending am into said work-supporting arm for actuating said looper.

7. A chain-stitch feed-oif-arm sewing machine having, in combination, a frame including a gooseneck, a forwardly extending arm rigid with said gooseneck, a laterally extending horizontal arm joined at one'end to said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending horizontal work-supporting arm joined at one end to and. substantially coplaner with said laterally extending arm and terminating at its free end below the free end of said gooseneck, an upper rotary shaft jour- V naled horizontally in said gooseneck, a lower rotary shaft journaled in said laterally extending arm, means connecting said shafts to rotate in timed relation to one-another, a reciprocatory needle mounted at the free end of said gooseneck and connected to be' driven by said upper rotary shaft, a thread-carrying chain-stitch looper disposed within the free end of said work-supporting arm and having its loop-seizing movements in a direction away from the base of said gooseneck,-

means connected to said lower rotary shaft and extending substantially horizontally from said laterally extending arm into said work-supporting arm for actuating said looper, and a looperthread-controller mounted on said lower rotary shaft within said laterally extending arm closely adjacent the juncture of said laterally extending and work-supporting arms.

8. A chain-stitch feed-off-arm sewing machine having, in combination, a frame including a gooseneck, a forwardly extending arm rigid with said gooseneck, a laterally extending horizontal arm joined at one end .to said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardlyextending horizontal work-supporting arm joined at one end to and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm and terminating at its free end below the free end of said gooseneck, an upper rotary shaftjournaled horizontally in said gooseneck, a lower rotary shaft journaled in said laterally extending arm, means connecting said shafts to rotate in timed relation to one-another, a reciprocatory needle mounted at the free end of said gooseneck and connected to be driven by said upper rotary shaft, a threadcarrying chain-stitch looper disposed within the free end of said work-supporting arm, means connected to said lower rotary shaft and extend- 'ing substantially horizontally from said laterally extending arm into said work-supporting arm for actuating said looper, a looper-thread-controller mounted on said lower rotary shaft within said laterally extending arm closely adjacent the juncture of' said laterally extending and worksupporting arms, and a looper-thread tension device mounted on said laterally extending arm.

9, A feed-off-arm sewing machine having, a frame including a gooseneck, a forwardly extending arm rigid with said gooseneck, a hollow laterally extending arm joined at one end to said forwardly extending arm, a hollow work-supporta ing arm joined at one end to and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm and terminating at its free end below the free end of said gooseneck, connected upper and lower shafts arm nearer the base of the gooseneck to said" looper.

10. A chain-stitch feed-off-arm sewing ma chine having, a frame including a gooseneck, a forwardly extending arm rigid with said gooseneck, a laterally extending hollow horizontal arm joined at one end to said forwardly extending arm, a rearwardly extending hollow,work-supporting arm joined at one end to and substantially coplanar with said laterally extending arm, a reciprocatory needle carried by said gooseneck, an upper rotary shaft mounted in said gooseneck and connected to reciprocate said needle, chainstitch looper and feeding mechanisms mounted in said work-supporting arm, a lower shaft mounted in said laterally extending arm and connected to drive said looper and feeding mechanisms, a looper-thread controller mounted in said laterally extending arm, a tension device mounted on said laterally extending arm and threadguides arranged to lead the looper-thread from the supply to and through said tension device and into said laterally extending arm to the thread controller and thence out of the laterally extending arm and longitudinally and externally of the space within said work-supporting arm at that side of the latter nearer the forwardly extending arm, and thence to the looper.

11. A sewing machine having a frame including a straight horizontal work-supporting am free at one end, a hollow horizontal carrier arm substantially coplanar with and joined at one end at an angle to and carrying said work-supporting arm, a standard with which said hollow carrier arm is rigidly connected, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle carried by said standard and a thread-carrying looper mounted at the free end of said work-supporting arm, feeding mechanism arranged to feed the stitched work off of the free end of the worksupporting arm, a shaft disposed lengthwise of and within said carrier arm and connected to drive said looper and feeding mechanism, and a looper-thread-controller actuated by said shaft and mounted in said hollow carrier arm closely adjacent the juncture of the latter with the worksupporting arm.

12. A sewing machine having a frame including a straight hollow horizontal work-supporting arm free at one end, a hollow lateral arm carrying said work-supporting arm and joined at one end at an angle to' and partitioned from the s 8 within said work-supporting arm, a standard ith which said hollow lateral arm is rigidly connected, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle carried by said standard and a thread-carrying looper mounted in a compartment at the free end of' said work-supporting arm, feeding mechanism arranged to feed the stitched work off of the free end of the worksupporting arm, a looper-thread-controller mounted in said hollow lateral arm closely adjacent the partition between the latter and the 

